- US
- $2b+
- North America
- 5,000+
- Local Government
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The Problem
A major California city faced a critical support crisis when its existing third-party support provider unexpectedly announced it would exit PeopleSoft support, despite an original 15-year commitment through 2028. This premature withdrawal left the City scrambling to protect its PeopleSoft HCM estate, which manages payroll for over 5,600 employees.
The City’s options were severely limited. Returning to Oracle was financially unfeasible, as being off official support since 2013 would have triggered over $6 million in reinstatement fees. For the City to continue receiving necessary Tax, Legal, and Regulatory (TLR) updates from Oracle, it would have to upgrade from HCM 8.9 to 9.2, which takes close to two years. Having recently experienced a failed ERP transformation project with another platform, the City had neither the budget nor the internal appetite for another software overhaul. The immediate risk was a total loss of essential TLR updates, which are vital for processing payroll.
The Solution
After attending a Support Revolution PeopleSoft webinar and consulting with leadership, the City identified Support Revolution PeopleSoft as the only partner capable of maintaining its legacy HCM 8.9 software in full compliance. The solution provided by Support Revolution centred on a seamless transition that required zero upgrades or forced migrations. Support Revolution provided a comprehensive maintenance package that included critical tax, legal and regulatory updates, including US Payroll.
By partnering with Support Revolution, the city gained an expert support structure that replaced its exiting vendor without the need for a multi-million-dollar reinstatement to Oracle. This approach allowed the IT team to avoid the labour-intensive upgrade cycle that would need at least two years to complete. The solution was formally approved by the City council, ensuring that the City’s HR and payroll processing remained compliant and operational on its existing, stable environment. Support Revolution stepped in to save the day, providing a safe harbour for the City’s technology roadmap while guaranteeing it stays fully supported.
The Benefits
Financial savings and cost avoidance
Avoidance of reinstatement fees: By moving to Support Revolution, the City avoided over $6 million in back-support reinstatement fees that Oracle would have charged to resume support.
Predictable budgeting: The City maintained its PeopleSoft support at a cost comparable to its previous third-party provider, avoiding the steep price increases associated with reverting to Oracle.
Maximising ROI: The City is able to “sweat the equity” of its existing PeopleSoft HCM 8.9 investment, ensuring it gets the maximum value from a stable system it already paid for.
Operational continuity and compliance
Guaranteed payroll accuracy: Support Revolution guaranteed critical TLR updates for federal requirements and the municipality’s statutory requirements, ensuring 5,600+ employees are paid correctly.
Risk mitigation: The partnership provides an immediate safe harbour after the City’s previous vendor exited the market, preventing a lapse in support for a mission-critical payroll system.
Avoidance of complex failed projects: Following a previous failed ERP transformation, the City avoided the high risk of another complex migration by staying on its current, functional platform.
Strategic freedom and flexibility
No forced upgrades: The City was no longer forced into an immediate upgrade to PeopleSoft 9.2, allowing the IT team to focus on public services rather than technical debt.
Roadmap control: The City now controls its own technology timeline without being subjected to loss of Oracle-mandated timelines.
Expert support access: The City gained access to specialised PeopleSoft expertise capable of supporting their current versions (HCM 8.9 and PeopleTools 8.51) that Oracle no longer fully supports.
Following the unexpected withdrawal of support from our previous vendor, the city was facing a multi-million dollar return to Oracle and forced upgrades to remain compliant. Support Revolution stepped in to save the day. They were the only vendor capable of supporting our PeopleSoft footprint and delivering critical tax updates, allowing us to maintain business continuity and protect our budget. – Systems & Applications Manager